THE National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has been tasked to establish a flood-free and flood reduction league table to help identify well-performing districts and regions across the country.

According to the Deputy Minister for the Interior, Mr Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi, the results from the league table would be used as the basis for rewarding well-performing districts and regions.

He said that the establishment of the league table would challenge districts and regions that were not performing well in terms of flood management to do so.

Mr Terlabi was speaking at the opening of a three-day disaster management and leadership training programme held in Accra Tuesday for NADMO directors at various headquarters as well as regional directors and their deputies.

The training, organised by NADMO, was on the theme: “Resetting NADMO for Improved Performance in Disaster Resilience: The Role of Management.” It focused on topics such as disaster preparedness, responding to disasters, leadership, command and control, and the role of communication in disaster management.

Mr Terlabi bemoaned the impact of disasters, particularly flooding and its effect on human livelihoods and the economy of the country.

He stated that, “The challenges confronting us as a nation, especially with regards to our prevention and preparedness for disasters, are enormous. Flooding in particular, should be brought under manageable levels. When we have not recorded flooding in the last three years, all efforts must be made to ensure that flooding does not occur.”

Furthermore, Mr Terlabi encouraged participants at the training programme to take such programmes seriously to help build their capacity and understand the rudiments of their responsibilities.

He stressed the importance of the identification and introduction of new technologies to aid in the operations of NADMO during disaster management.

Mr Terlabi also indicated that the Ministry was playing its part in supporting the operation of NADMO through the inauguration of the Governing Council of the National Disaster Management Committee.

He urged all relevant stakeholders to partner the government in supporting the operation of NADMO in order to ensure an effective disaster management process.

For his part, the Director-General of NADMO, Major (rtd) Joseph Bikanyi Kuyon, entreated the participants to apply the knowledge and skills acquired at various jurisdictions to help transform NADMO.

BENJAMIN ARCTON-TETTEY & ELIZABETH KPORSU